Constitutional Convention of the Socialist Workers Front
The Constitutional Convention of the Socialist Workers Front was held from 11 July 2009 to 5 September 2009, concluding with the ratification of the Constitution of the Socialist Workers Front. Provisional Constitution Since the establishment of the front on 14 May 2009, in the midst of the Karma War, the Front operated per a provisional constitution drafted by milo. The provisional document established several provisions that was not eventually carried into the final constitution: a quorum of 30% (Ch. II, Art. 7), founder as a governing authority (Ch. I, Art. 3), neutrality (Ch. VI, Art. 14), and a ban on mutual defense treaties (Ch. VI, Art. 16). Many provisions in the constitution were carried onto the final document. Beginning of the Assembly As prompted by Chapter V of the Provisional Constitution, at the moment which the Front reached 30 members, a constituent assembly shall be called to discuss a new constitution for the Socialist Workers Front. So, acting as nominal leader, milo called the Constitutional Assembly into session on 11 July, 2009. Soviet Britain was the first to post, offering a variety of ideas. Among them were some unorthodox ideas such as granting the General Congress control over the economics of the Front, voluntary labor to new programs, and a directly democratic trial process. What ultimately became a matter of debate early on in the discussions, first brought up by Fadejev. Early in the discussions, important elements were suggested that were later implemented into the final draft. Such elements include the use of an executive body during times of war (Fadejev), Congressional use as a tribunal assembly (Soviet Britain), elected cabinet (milo), and democratic centralism (milo, Soviet Britain). Term Debates A central issue in the discussions on the new constitution were the term limits placed on elected officers of the Front. Milo initially proposed one-month terms in his proposal for government on 16 July 2009. Somedude then proposed two or three month terms, Fadejev later backing up milo's want for constant change in the Front's government. The debate concluded on 19 July 2009 with a compromise suggested by milo to revisit the term limits debate but to set the limits at two months for the time being. Executive Power In a debate between Somedude and milo early on in the Assembly, Somedude argued for a peacetime executive to quickly respond to actions and events that would occur. Milo argued for the preservation of direct democratic and libertarian values in the Front, and wished the have Congress remain the executive authority in the alliance. On 16 July milo suggested what would become the Central Committee. He initially suggested two Co-Chairs, an administrator for foreign affairs, an administrator for internal affairs, and an administrator for the Front's armed forces. However on 25 July 2009, Somedude brought up the need to have a powerful peacetime executive to keep up on current affairs in CN and to safeguard the alliance during democratic transitions. Milo agreed on the necessity of a war time executive to make quick decisions, and offered to have the Central Committee become the war time executive council to make decisions. He argued that having a peacetime executive would create a parliamentary democracy, which would go against the alliance's principles. Somedude agreed to this compromise. Conclusion of the Assembly On 23 July 2009, milo, acting as nominal leader, started to wrap up the Assembly with the summarization of some points made. By 29 July, compromises on the final issues were hammered out with the settling of the debate over executive power. When August rolled around though, plans were being made for who would draft the constitution for the Front. Fadejev planned to write the constitution by 16 August, however no such draft was made. Ray Matveyev, who had joined the front on 28 August, compiled a draft on 31 August for submission to the Assembly. After some amendments to the draft by milo and Fadejev, a final proposal was made to the General Congress on 1 September 2009. Congress ratified the constitution on 5 September with unanimous vote. On that date, milo concluded the Assembly, and the road to the election of the First Central Committee.